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15th General Assembly 2011

15th GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM

Report

The IEF General Assembly, held during the 15th
Conference of the International Environment Forum, opened at 13:30
on 11 December with a welcome from IEF President Arthur Dahl, followed by
introductions from those present. There were 12 members present and 14
guests. Because time was short, it was agreed that the two present members
of the IEF governing board would serve as officers of the General
Assembly: Arthur Dahl (chair); Peter Adriance (substituting for Emily
Firth as secretary). The agenda (Annex 1) was
reviewed and approved.

Annual report

The annual report (Annual Report 2010-2011) was
then presented briefly by Arthur Dahl and Peter Adriance and approved by
the members.

Election of the
Governing Board

The election of the Governing Board for 2011-2012 then took place with
Erin O'Connor and Margaret Riebau serving as tellers. There were 11
ballots received by e-mail and 9 voting in person for a total of 20
voting. The board elected consists of: Arthur Dahl, Peter Adriance, Sylvia
Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, Emily Firth, Duncan Hanks, Victoria Thoresen and
Dimity Podger.

Consultation on
activities and priorities for the coming year

The following topics were the focus of consultation:

Guidance on organizing the annual IEF Conferences – it was
suggested that more explicit guidelines and expectations should be
established for hosting and organizing the annual IEF conference, thus
providing better direction to the host committee. It was explained that
because the conference is held in different regions and under varying
circumstances each year it is difficult to have a uniform set of
expectations, however some models from past conferences could be offered.
General principles would assist the organizers and give them a basic
foundation from which to operate. To have guidance from the Governing
Board in a spirit of accompaniment would be most appreciated.

Integrating environmental principles into community life – It was
suggested that Bahá'í communities would find it helpful to have examples
of how environmental principles can be integrated into community life.
Could examples be included in the newsletter? It was noted that some case
studies currently exist on the website, but more would be helpful,
especially related to the core activities (devotional gatherings,
children’s classes, study circles and junior youth groups).

Generation of learning resources – It was suggested that IEF might
collaborate with other organizations in creating and making available
learning resources. It was pointed out that there is an e-learning section
of the site available to all, and more materials could be added there. It
was asked whether IEF might explore giving academic credit for some
courses. It was suggested that since accreditation is a rigorous process,
it may not be worth the time involved for an organization like IEF to
pursue. Arthur mentioned that the IEF is already involved in an accredited
program which he is teaching in Geneva. Members who are professionals
could possibly make IEF materials available in their own institutions.

Starting an Australian IEF Chapter – It was suggested that IEF
explore setting up a chapter in Australia. It was explained that guidance
received when the IEF was established discouraged the formation of
chapters. However, the Australian friends who are interested could consult
with the National Spiritual Assembly on how to bring this kind of network
forward in their community. It was noted that a National Environmental
Taskforce has been established in the Australian Bahá'í community, and it
will be working on engaging interested people as part of its agenda.

Funding – It was suggested that membership dues might be
established to assist the IEF in carrying out its functions and/or that a
fund might be designated to receive individual contributions. It was
explained that part of the hesitation in setting up a treasury has been
the difficulty in determining how to identify the country in which to
become recognized as a legal entity. With officers changing from year to
year, it also makes it difficult to settle on a specific location. The IEF
strategy has been to find another entity for each conference which could
manage the funds on its behalf. It might be worth looking into ways that
other organizations handle this issue.

Other business

There was no other business.

The General Assembly was adjourned at 15:10.

ANNEX 1

AGENDA

15th General Assembly of the International Environment
Forum
Baha'i Centre of Learning, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 11 December
2011

1. Opening of the General Assembly
2. Introduction of members present
3. Election of officers of the General Assembly
4. Approval of the agenda
5. Presentation, consultation and approval of the annual report
(Annual Report 2010-2011)
6. Election of the Governing Board
7. Consultation on activities and priorities for the coming
year, such as:
- educational activities
- a review and discussion on the new website and how it
could help to engage members
- activities on climate change
- engaging with sustainable consumption
- collaboration with various partner organizations and
networks
- contributions to the Rio+20 conference in June 2012
- future IEF conferences
8. Other business
9. Closing of the General Assembly